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CHICAGO - The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) announces that Amnesty International USA is the recipient of the 2013 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award.

Amnesty International USA has supported intellectual freedom for 52 years.

“Of special recognition is Amnesty International’s approach to Banned Books Week, said Immroth Award Chair Charles Kratz. Rather than focusing on book censorship, per se, Amnesty International’s approach focused on the logical consequences that would follow when governments are allowed to censor. Beyond the removal or burning of books comes the removal and physical harm to authors, journalists and others.

This year’s award will be presented at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table. In celebrating the 40th anniversary, IFRT will also celebrate our first chair of the Round Table, John Phillip Immroth (1973–1974). Come join the IFRT from 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2013 at the magnificent Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St. at Michigan Ave., Chicago) for the celebration. Refreshments, including signature cocktails, will be served.

The John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award honors intellectual freedom fighters in and outside the library profession who have demonstrated remarkable personal courage in resisting censorship. The award consists of $500 and a citation. Individuals, a group of individuals or an organization are eligible for the award. The award was first presented in 1976.

Tickets for the celebration are $30 for IFRT members and $40 for non-members. To purchase a ticket, just visit http://ala13.ala.org and go through the Annual Conference registration site. If you already have registered for the Annual Conference, you can just add this ticketed event. Note: if you do not want to attend the rest of the conference, you can purchase tickets just for this event. Just begin the registration process and then select “Ticketed Events.”

Proceeds from the 40th anniversary celebration will go to increase the endowment of the John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award. You can help. Your event sponsorship donation of $100, $250 or $500 will help to continue this prestigious award for many years to come. The bulk of your sponsorship donation is tax-deductible. To become a sponsor of the IFRT 40th anniversary celebration, contact Shumeca Pickett at spickett@ala.org or (312) 280-4220.